Special Olympics PEI believes the well-being of everyone involved in our organization is a foremost consideration and in particular, the protection of our athletes is the responsibility of each individual and member in the Special Olympics PEI community.
Special Olympics PEI embraces our responsibility to create, foster, and preserve sport settings that ensure positive, healthy, and fulfilling experiences for all individuals regardless of what level or position they participate. Athletes, coaches, officials and volunteers have the right to participate in a safe, healthy, inclusive, and fun environments that are free of abuse, harassment or discrimination.
Responsible Coaching Movement
Special Olympics PEI is proud to declare we have taken the Responsible Coaching Movement (RCM) pledge which is a call to action for sport organizations, parents, and coaches to enact responsible coaching across Canada – on and off the field. Our organization is committed to the Three Steps to Responsible Coaching, by practicing the Rule of Two, completing Background Checks, and ensuring coaches/volunteers complete Ethics Training. The Responsible Coaching Movement helps participants and coaches benefit fully from sport participation in a safe, healthy, and fun environment.
Safe Sport Training
This is training on harassment and abuse for everyone involved in sport: decision makers, those with direct athlete contact (including caregivers), and those with no direct athlete contact. Certified coaches are also eligible for Professional Development points toward their maintenance of their certification.
This course will help you:
- Understand that everyone has a role to play in keeping sport safe, how the misuse of power leads to maltreatment, and the principles of the Universal Code of Conduct.
- Understand the various types of maltreatment, the conditions that enable them, and how to recognize signs that they may be happening.
- Know what to do if you suspect maltreatment, and how you can create a culture that protects all participants.
The Canadian Sport Helpline
The Canadian Sport Helpline, funded by the Government of Canada, is a listening and referral service for victims and witness monitored by live operators from 8 am to 8 pm Eastern time, 7 days a week. Users will have a choice of communicating via a toll-free phone line, email, text or live chat, in the official language of their choice. It is a safe space to share or obtain information regarding harassment, abuse, and discrimination in sport. A team of practitioners with expertise in counselling, psychology, and sport act as operators of the helpline. The Helpline website (click banner below) also includes other resources to help (e.g. Kids Help Phone, the Game Plan, etc.).
Policy and Complaints Process
The following Pan Canadian Polices are to be referenced in the complaints process:
Additional Resources
Abuse Free Sport.Ca website makes available a list of links to some resources dedicated to the prevention of abuse, harassment and discrimination, as well as victim support services.
